Proper procedure (including appearance, notice, and other jurisdictional matters) is part of the decision.

It's ridiculous how otherwise (mostly) rational professionals are so blinded by their version of facts & the adversarial nature of litigation / hearings that they act so cluelessly.

This comment included: imagine if someone had a pitch scheduled with a VC, but sent an assistant instead. The investor would correctly pass on that and HN would flip a shit. But involve lawyers, judges and the judicial process...and expecting someone to show up to court is a "reality show popularity contest"

Credibility is part of judgment.

The claim was that he didn't fully hold up his end of the contract. This isn't a criminal case with forensics; this is small claims with a lot of he-said, she-sad.

Not dodging court lends credibility to your side.

Attending certainly would add credibility, but it seems unconscionable that the judge wouldn't even let the assistant present their defense at all.